Denis Walsh: Champions revel in Croke Park roughhouse

Armagh were in their element in a second-half dog-fight which saw two red cards and left Dublin on their knees

IN the end it was conclusive, quite conclusive. Armagh wrapped their hands around Dublin’s throat and wrung the life from them, breath by breath. They trailed by four points at half-time, just like they had against Kerry in the All- Ireland final last September, after a first half in which they had been overrun at times. But the match hadn’t begun to unfold yet. The exhibition was over.

Shortly before half-time the exchanges became heated and early in the second half it officially became a dogfight. For a while it looked as if Armagh’s discipline had simply snapped and that they would hand the game to Dublin but, once Dubs goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton joined Armagh wing-forward Paddy McKeever in the cooling-off cell for a heedless foul eight minutes into the second half, the game was set up for Armagh.